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Friday, 28 November 2014

It's #BlackFriday if you hadn't notice by the ten squillion emails about said subject in your email inbox , sell, sell, need need . The world has gone bonkers , deals to be had , thought you didn't need it well you do now ! Like the sofa adverts of this world , surely everyone has a sofa by now ? Consumerism can eat at out soul , a black most descends and very often we are convinced that you need the item wether we really do or not.

I crave adventure , I crave familiarity I don't however crave the contempt of some of the human condition , never overly opinionated am I . Now that's not to say I didn't partake of some Black Friday deals but sensible buying was my mantra.

Human kindness for me this week was a suspended coffee, not a coffee that is somehow suspended but a charitable act. I went to my regular haunt when in town , my regular haunt is the cathedral tea rooms where often I'm the youngest by decades , none of this matters.

I ordered a jacket potato and a cup of tea , the jacket was my first meal in a week through illness , I felt rough as houses but my illness is nothing comforted to the suffering of some. I bet you are wondering still want a suspended coffee is ?

There was a shabbily dressed man sitting at one of the tables , doing no one any harm , before I realised what I was doing I hid my phone . Moe shame me ! How dare I presume ! The waitress came over to him and asked

" Would you like another suspended coffee?"

The chap shook his head and just quietly sat.

I was gripped.

Finishing up, I went to the till and brought my son a flapjack to take home and asked

" What is a suspended coffee please ?"

The young waitress answered me

"When people come in for a coffee for themselves, they also pay for one or more for someone who can't afford one. Perhaps they're living rough or on the streets, or just very poor. There are more and more these days with the cuts. Someone in that situation is welcome to come in and ask if there are any suspended coffees available, and if there are, they can have one"

Wednesday, 26 November 2014

Macy's Parade is the the ultimate colour pop , a show stopping burst of colour that once coloured my world in 2007 and to this day it has stayed with me. The ultimate parade there is nothing like this world like it and the feeling of elation and joy that is instilled within you when you watch it is second to none.

You stand practically cheek to cheek with people , it is a very long parade and you do shuffle bit , no doubt seasoned watchers will be able to offer you tips and tricks and the best paces to see. What inspired em to take my family that was the film Miracle on 34th street ,and if you haven't seen the film then do put it on your to watch list.

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade has been a tradition since 1924 , for us the magic started when we stopped to watch the skaters glide by at the Rockafellar centre with the biggest tree that you ever did see there. It is here you begin to grasp that over 3.5 million descend upon Manhattan to see the grittiest parade on earth more than 1.550 dancers and cheerleaders are involved, 1000 clowns and 30 parade floats.

Tips for a Great Macy's Parade visit

The inflation of the balloons in itself has become a big event this takes place in the read around Columbus Avenue and 79 Street literally tens of thousands people descend upon this area around the American Museum of Natural history which in itself is well worth a visit. This was another visit inspired by Night at the Museum ! I would avoid taking a pushchair in the area as it would be a night mare with the crowds.

You can get caught up with jostling for the best spot , but you know what as long as you see the balloons while you are there relax and enjoy and sing along with the crowd.

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade was a once in the life time adventure for us as a family and it ignited a spark of wanting to go back to New York . This must be why so many people sing about it and so good that they named it twice , being part of this American tradition was truly magical never had I had such an enthralling time in a city.

The tool was created with data that was compiled by the Financial Fraud Action and takes users through the 11 most common types of fraud, highlighting how much this costs the UK each year and providing advice to protect others from becoming a victim. The tool aims to inform users fully on the different types of fraud and help them with the prevention of it.

Earlier this year I was a victim of a card theft from a machine , I needed to get £20 out of a cash machine in London , I am one of those people who only gets cash out as I need it. I put my card into the ATM as I normally would shielding my number and it all seem to go through until the machine stopped. I panicked , luckily I was with a friend , all of a sudden a man stepped up from behind me to show me a piece of paper warning people not to use the machine, I thought this was highly suspiscous as surely if the machine was faulty it wouldn't accept any more cards, immeadiately I went back to my hotel to ring the bank. I couldn't go into the bank as it was very late at night , this experience has made me wary of using ATM and using this tool will help me in future.

Disclosure I am being sent a gift in association with this post all though words and opinions are my own, Fraud is a very important subject that we should all be aware of and help try and prevent.

Monday, 24 November 2014

Rolling in time for hipster Shoreditch cats, except we live in Derbyshire but hey that is a moot point!

I truntled downstairs to get a glass of water as I have a poorly throat still , the cats are in bed with Rollie sleeping on top of his Igloo bed don't ask ( read here to find out more about his sleeping habits ) no passing here for sympathy * cue dead pan laugh * I spy that Jack has his eyes focued on a spot under the kitchen storage trolley I look under there is a mouse, now it wasn't doing a song and dance routine I hasten to add neither was it holding cheese or being middle class quinoa. it was just simply sitting there doing mouse actions , not the YMCA but just twitching.

The Mouse
The mouse the lambasted in many a cartoon and comical moment except when it is in my kitchen remembering it is 5 Am so then I call the husband instead of gently whispering in his ear to remove the mouse I bellowed up the stairs. House woken , grumpy husband , grumpy teen bemused

"Hello Monday"

The Cats
Rollie nor Jack couldn't give a flying paw about the fuss they had caused and I blame them of course * coughs After all the fuss that died down and the mouse had been released , I swear it was mocking the cats. Then I got to thinking about how much do I really know my cats and this is where Applaws come in as they have a questionnaire on Facebook about how well you know your cat or your dog, and going on this morning I though that the answer to the first question would be that cats spent most of their time catching mice but apparently this isn't the case, I'll not spoil it for you but do go on and have a go for yourselves.

Dining choices for Rollie and Jack

In reality I am sure Rollie and Jack would like 5 star dining and I was quite shocked when I looked at A recent infographic that some pet foods only contain 4% natural food where as Applaws contains 70% . I mixed feed both Rollie and Jack and after this I shall be looking to at petted a little bit for carefully as cats have delicate tummies too .

Disclosure: Rollie and Jack are being a hamper as a thank you for this post, as I speak they are stalking the postman , we are on postman number 2 we don't know what happened to the first one , all that was left was his postman bag ..... I did hear something heavy being dragged through the cat flap one day but I am sure it wasn't a leg .....

Sunday, 23 November 2014

Friday, 21 November 2014

And Kapoow I am back , well not exactly as this was taken yesterday where I pushed myself to go for a walk , little did I know I was quite ill with a inflamed dingy thingy at the back of the throat. It wasn't my tonsils they were whipped out in 1997 and then I had secondary bleeding . Any way enough of my medical history and onto the pictures. This time out of my village I took a different turn and headed up the hill with inhaler firmly in hand.

Looking down the lane where I work.

Looking on towards the secret manor house

Swarkstone Pavillion

Sometimes I wonder why i do what I do then I stop dead in my tracks and look at eh calm this is why I do what I do. That light is never going to shine on the water that very same way again and I was there for that : me yes me.

Thursday, 20 November 2014

I will be completely honest I am not doing so well today , I am feeling like a brick has dropped on my head possibly I could be coming down with a touch of flu who knows. I know there are people in the world who have it worse than me , I know this and I am not trying or wanting to drag anyone down. Possibly it could be a #blogfest come down form going to the blogging event a few weeks ago. I am handling the come down better and I haven't spiralled off.

To handle this I surround myself with like minded people who are always there for me , I don't need people who preport to defend me to the masses saying they fighting my corner , I really don't. letting go of the angst and anger is really part of coming through depression and as I said before I don't know if I will ever get over it . My past is way too complex to get a handle on , tick boxes and say there you go you are fixed.

So today I pushed myself to go out and take pictures , I may no apologies for the preamble , being outdoors is my medicine my release my world.

I don't need any validation in my world except for truth, honesty and a willingness to be my friend if you see a part of me then you don't quite see eye to eye with then do look for a part that you are ok with. I am a jolly nice person bit over bearing like Tiger who has had to much caffeine.

Wednesday, 19 November 2014

Slowly opening the bedroom door before me,the torrid goings on were evident in their very state.

The cat has ate the carpet, my husband swore blind he didn't shut the door.

"The cat must of shut the door "

And there we have it the cat ,Rollie had ate the carpet , instead of meowing to get out like a normal cat would do . Rollie just sits there all song and silent domineering fifty shades of grey bleeding tabby cat. I can't ring the insurance again and say

"I am sorry but the cat has ate the carpet again "

I can hear the chuckling down the insurance office as they chalk one up for mad cat lady again , but it really does this. Everyone goes awwh

"Look at his beautiful coat"

But it bloody well fluff bombs every where it like a fluffy sheep on acid.

Rollie has been offered a pet grooming session but can you imagine it , it would be stuck on the ceiling or there would be ambulances called as it attacked the groomer. It sits in the sink, it fluffs everywhere, doesn't like his bed you walk in he walks out. Rollie doesn't like much anyone or anything, he is anarchy on legs and it is time you saw past his fluffy cute exterior he is a silent menace.

Never religious though I do have flat pack Jesus coming soon ~ which is trendy speak for a nativity set , so I'll not burn in hell.

I'm not a pied piper of the masses , but I've integrity have a heart and I am well on my way to would you believe it my 4th year of blogging. I enjoy what I do doing a bit if this and a bit of that , the places I seen and been, though I've yet to go abroad through blogging.

Worry will not be my bed fellow , so what if you talk to someone who doesn't like me. I constantly have friends beneath my weeks they aren't my emotional crutches , they are my true friends.

It used to be the case my friends were always older than me going back to my chess playing days. Now I've friends of all ages and this is good.

Sunday, 16 November 2014

Autumn is I believe the song of the season , its beauty is unrivalled , the shop stopping colour that changes as Autumn creeps on . The winds that blow sometimes gently and other times with such a swirl the myriad of the colourful leaves that are thrown up before our eyes.

The leaves for me have to be the best bit of Autumn your beauty is there for me and carries me through to winter.

To hold a leaf up to the light and look through it is like natures kaleidoscope, leaves are natures finest and they bring untold treasures for us. There is no better way than to take an autumn walk to blow the cobwebs away , to coin a phrase from a well known song " Forever Autumn"

I love to see the butterfly dance of the leaves as they fall, leaves bring out the inner child in us, this is a feeling I never want to lose. To kick the leaves , to crinkle, crunch and lead upon them is like jumping into a fire but a fire of blazing Autumn colour.

The Autumn boughs of the trees are my triumphant arch as I walk upon my beloved lanes , I love to be the only one about but I will share my world with you if only for a while for I love the stillness of the world an the time in which it allows me to think.

When I have peace in my world then all other worries are melted away.

I walk on a carpet of Autumn leaves and my heart sings.

Leaves are in my Autumn treasure bag are they in yours ?

Even when the frost grips the Autumn leaves hold their beauty.

I have Autumn leaves in my minds eye do you ?If you would like to enter Sykes Cottages competition to win £400 worth of John Lewis vouchers then simply head over to here

Friday, 14 November 2014

Dyson I've been with you from the beginning I've see how you've grown , your innovation knows no limits. You keep evolving bringing new and exciting products into our lives , making the ordinary and mundane chores of housework an exciting adventure that I am very happy to take with you.

I am confidant in the purchases I have made with Dyson , in fact recently we brought the cordless Dc 59 ourselves as I didn't want to be having to pay for a car valet each month when I could get Mr T to do it instead.

We are a family of 3 with 2 cats one of which is extremely fluffy ( the cat that is) my son is constantly playing sports including football and the ever so messy and muddy rugby. It is important for us to keep on top of the mess which comes with having a chaotic household , which sometimes feels never ending!The new feature is fantastic manoeuvrability and as such the manoeuvrability the Dyson Dc41 MK2 is phenomenal I feel like a formula one driving especially when I corner.
The
Dyson ball technology is the key to this manoeuvrability Dyson I have to add has the power to shock you with the dirt that you seen being picked up and you might feel disgusted by take heart this is dirt and it that will no longer be hanging around!Emptying your Dyson is a doodle you simply unclip the bin from the body stroll to your outside bin , press a button and the contents of the bin are emptied into your outside bin. ( You can also empty the contents of your Dyson into your compost bin ) There
is the wand at the back of the machine too, this is perfect to reach up the
stairs without having to pick the machine up, and for those pesky cobwebs.No more faffing around adjusting your vacuum from one floor surface to another with the danger being if your don't then suction is lost. This is not the case with the Dyson DC41 MK2 which has an active base plate and no suction is lost !

While
other vacuum cleaners still rely on bags, losing suction over time, Dyson
engineers have developed Radial Root Cyclone technology – to pick up large
debris as well as microscopic particles like pollen and mould. The mesh shroud
helps separate large debris, with inner cyclones generating powerful
centrifugal forces. Its worth explain the technology behind it, so people
understand why getting rid of your bag is better. But it’s not about all
bagless machines, Dyson were the first to engineer cyclone technology and they have been improving it for 21 years. They now extract particles as small as 0.5
microns – 1/5,000th of a pin head!

The Dyson DC41 MK 2 comes with a few attachments one of which is the tangle free turbine tool with counter rating heads with brushes and will remove pet hair etc from your upholstery etc.

Research, design and development is at the core of Dyson. One third of
people at Dyson are engineers and scientists. Their expertise in fluid,
mechanical, electrical, EMC, thermal, chemical, acoustic and software
engineering allows them to design new technologies from the bladeless Dyson Air
Multiplier™ fan to the Dyson Airblade™ hand dryer as well as challenge and
improve existing ones. Dyson has over 1,900 patents and patent applications
worldwide for over 300 different inventions (July 2011). Dyson’s RDD investment
has quadrupled over the last 5 years with plans to double engineers to continue
to invent new machines. Dyson has 1,700 engineers and scientists worldwide.
An additional 400 engineers will join during 2014.

The cost of a Dyson Dc41 MK 2 is £430 .

Thank you to Dyson for inviting me up to the press headquarters and showing me all their innovative new technologies , such a shame that couldn't smuggle the robot that is coming out next year. I would love a robot Dyson and I would name him Cyril. Also thank you for to Dyson for sending me the new DC41 MK2 to vacuum my home with myself and my cats very much appreciate it.